1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a wheel device, more particularly to a removable wheel device for a stroller.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a conventional rear wheel device for a stroller as disclosed in Chinese Patent Application No. 200420083541.7. The stroller includes a frame 11, a pair of wheels 12, a hand brake assembly 13, a foot brake assembly 14, and a pair of quick release caps 15. The frame 11 includes a pair of parallel and spaced apart rear leg tubes 111 interconnected by an axle sleeve tube 112. Each of the wheels 12 includes a wheel axle 122 that extends into the axle sleeve tube 112.
The hand brake assembly 13 includes a pull member 131, a cord 132 connected to the pull member 131, brake teeth units 133 mounted on the wheels 12 and formed with a plurality of positioning holes 135 evenly distributed relative to the wheel axles 122, and brake rings 134 each surrounding an outer periphery of a respective brake teeth unit 133 and normally spaced apart from the same. When it is desired to reduce speed of the stroller, the pull member 131 is pulled to drive the brake rings 134 via the cord 132 such that the brake rings 134 engage the brake teeth units 133 tightly, thereby resulting in friction to reduce stroller speed.
The foot brake assembly 14 includes a mounting seat 141 mounted on the axle sleeve tube 112, a brake pedal 142 connected pivotally to the mounting seat 141, a pair of brake sliders 143 controlled by the brake pedal 142 to move sideward, a pair of brake rods 144, a pair of limit springs 145, and a pair of restoring springs 146. Each of the limit springs 145 is disposed between a respective brake rod 144 and a respective brake slider 143. Each of the restoring springs 146 is provided on a respective brake rod 144 and is disposed proximate to a respective wheel 12. Each of the brake rods 144 can be extended into the positioning holes 135 in one of the brake teeth units 133 to result in interference.
Under normal conditions, the brake rods 144 do not extend into the positioning holes 135 and thus do not hinder movement of the stroller. When the brake pedal 142 is depressed, the brake sliders 143 as well as the brake rods 144 are driven to move sideward. The brake rods 144 extend into the positioning holes 135 to stop rotation of the wheels 12. Afterwards, when the brake pedal 142 is released, the restoring springs 146 bias the brake rods 144 to disengage the positioning holes 135.
Referring to FIG. 3, the wheel axle 122 of each wheel 12 is rotatable in the axle sleeve tube 112 and is formed with an annular groove 123. Each of two housings 16 is provided on a respective end of the axle sleeve tube 112. Each of two positioning pins 17 extends through a respective housing 16 and the axle sleeve tube 112, and into the annular groove 123 in the wheel axle 122 of a respective wheel 12. Each positioning pin 17 is coupled to a respective quick release cap 15 via a bolt (not shown). Each of two springs 18 is disposed between the axle sleeve tube 112 and a respective housing 16. The wheels 12 are locked on the frame 11 and the springs 18 are compressed when the positioning pins 17 extend into the annular grooves 123 in the wheel axles 122. When the bolts between the positioning pins 17 and the quick release caps 15 are loosened, the springs 18 expand to move the positioning pins 17 so as to permit removal of the wheels 12 from the frame 11. However, since loosening of the bolts between the positioning pins 17 and the quick release caps 15 is required before the wheels 12 can be removed, the wheel removing operation is inconvenient to conduct.